


Morgans’ Christmas

by karlamartinova



Category: Dexter (TV)
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Christmas fic, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Season 7 Finale Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-23 04:57:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/618346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karlamartinova/pseuds/karlamartinova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A year after.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Morgans’ Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> For Beth, who wanted Christmas fluff. I attempted.

Deb doesn’t know what wakes her up. One second she’s asleep, another one her eyes are forced open and she needs to take a deep breath, calming herself further by staring at the ceiling. Another nightmare interrupted her sleep, exactly same as the others, dark and blood and screams which are just her own. She hates them but sometimes she feels they’re there to remind her because forgetting is her biggest fear. But she doesn’t want to think about it now, it’s Christmas day and even though she isn’t exactly a family type, this year is very different.

She hears a delighted squeal coming from the living room and rolls around to look at the clock. “Fucktard,” she murmurs when the digits show 6:47. Dexter promised not to wake her up before eight, he also promised they won’t open any presents without her there but obviously someone cheated and Deb pushes herself up and stalks angrily towards the door.

When she opens them Harrison is standing there with a cheeky little grin that reminds her too much of Rita, he’s hiding something behind his back and she knows he’s about to burst. She’s surprised when it happens against her legs. “Merry Christmas, Auntie Deb,” he sing-songs exactly like they taught him and keeps hugging her legs till she finally kneels to him and tucks him safely into her arms.

“Merry Christmas,” she whispers softly against his soft hair and raises her brow at her grinning brother. He certainly has his way of manipulating her but this time she’s willing to forgive him because Harrison keeps giggling against her and pushing a small package into her arm.

“Open it,” he says excitedly when she finally takes it from him. He seems as excited as it would be his own gift so she makes a good show of opening it slowly.

“I wonder what’s in here,” she whispers leaning towards the little boy, he giggles again and Deb looks up towards Dexter. He’s leaning on the kitchen counter with a reindeer hat on top of his head; he looks silly and so normal that she smiles because for one second she could believe they’re any normal family on Christmas morning.

“Hurry up,” Harrison interrupts her musings and she finally opens the package. It’s a watch, they look quite expensive and are not exactly her style but she likes them, they’re classy and she opened them while on her knees in front of her nephew and it all makes them so much special.

“Thank you, Harry,” she smiles and kisses the boy on the cheek, he grins at her and promptly turns and runs towards the Christmas tree. He slips in his Tarzan socks and Dexter catches him in the last minute.

“Slowly, cowboy. You can choose which gift you want to open first but wait for us, copy that?” he asks and his voice is warm and fatherly and Debra feels warm too.

“Copy that,” Harrison answers and continues in his run. Dexter grins at his son and walks towards her outstretching his hand and helping her up.

“Thank you, bro. They’re beautiful,” she murmurs with a smile still holding onto his hand. He’s warm to the touch, always was. It’s one of the reasons she always felt so safe around him, even after Deb had seen his true face, she never stopped feeling that only he could keep all the nightmares away. He brought some with him too but what’s few more when they troubled her since her teenage years?

Dexter looks like he isn’t buying it. “You can change them you know. It was Harrison’s idea, he said you always come too late,” he teases her and she punches him, he knows she would do that and she knows he knows. It’s their game, their life, their entire relationship and now she decided she wants a kiss and leans in when Harrison tell them to hurry up. He says “fuck” too and Dexter rolls his eyes while she giggles.

They open his presents first, a small bike, more little people for his train station, new train, some pyjamas and books. They had picked them up together, wandering through the shops their hands touching from time to time. People had asked them if they’re buying toys for their son and Dexter nodded while she said “nephew”. She didn’t want people to know. It was their secret, only theirs.

“Oh, and who got you this?” Dexter asks reaching for the present with “Harry” written on top of it. Harrison takes it from his hands eagerly, sooner that he could check who’s it from. Deb is glad, she’s still feeling silly for buying it.

“SpongeBob,” the little boy exclaims loudly and Dexter starts to laugh. It’s SpongeBob’s pineapple house with little SpongeBob and Patrick plush toys and Harrison needs just two seconds to figure out how does it open. Deb’s helping him and Dexter is still grinning at them. When she feels his look Deb turns and she feels sappy and so stupidly happy.

“You simply couldn’t help yourself,” he teases her more, breaks the atmosphere and she is almost thankful. She shouldn’t get used to this, shouldn’t be happy and content because it can all end in a second. He could make a mistake, she could make one too, people could find out about their secret and it will all go to hell. Deb thinks they’re on the way anyway.

“I fucking love that pink bastard,” she grins with a big smile and Harrison giggles at her swearing while Dexter sends her a warning look. She ignores him simply because he only pretends he minds, it’s one of the things he does because he thinks he’s supposed to. Deb doesn’t blame him, someone has to be adult around here but it won’t be her because she’s about to help Harrison put the house together.

Someone knocks on the door then and Dexter spares her a lecture. She doesn’t even bother to turn; only when a very feminine “oh” makes her turn she realizes she’s lying on the living room floor in her sleeping attire, which consists of a tank-top and panties. Deb promptly jumps up and sends Jamie an apologetic look hoping she won’t analyse why is practically naked on the Christmas morning in her brother’s apartment. These questions she wouldn’t want to answer.

“I better get dressed,” she notes before running towards the bathroom and when she comes out few minutes later, Jamie is already gone.

“She said she’ll meet us at the barbecue, she just wanted to drop presents for Harrison here,” Dexter says apologetically, like he should have known that Jamie could come and he probably could but Deb feels like she could point it out later. So she just nods and picks up her nephew.

“You should get dressed too, I promised Angel that will come earlier so you can help him with the meat,” she says matter-of-factly and Dexter raises an eyebrow.

“You promised, right,” if he wants to argue he decides against it, like Deb knows he would. Certain aspects of their new life he decided to leave in her care and socializing with their colleagues it’s one of them, they can’t rouse any suspicion especially since the investigation of LaGuerta’s murder wasn’t closed yet.

Dexter’s about to leave when Harrison tugs at her shirt. “And what about daddy’s presents?” he asks innocently and Deb can’t help it, she kisses the top of his head and smiles. Dexter didn’t move, he stand in front of her and his expression is unreadable. She knows it means he isn’t sure what he should do or say, it’s one of the new things she learnt about him. She stores them carefully in her head, hopes that someday he wouldn’t need her to tell him.

“He’ll get them once he’ll be a good boy and makes Auntie Deb a nice steak,” she grins and turns her back on him. She doesn’t see his shaking head or his matching grin.

Deb got him a book about psychology and “I’m not a serial killer” shirt. She never was very good with choosing gifts and she’s sure they could get a good laugh out of it later; at least she hopes because sometimes she feels she’s changing too, starting to see the world through his eyes and it scares and excites her at the same time. Because she loves how they’re no secrets between then but hates when he comes to their bed smelling like ocean, everything changed, the world did and they made themselves fit in it but could it really last?

She decides not to think about it, dresses Harrison in his swim shorts, prepares his lunch and waits for Dexter near the door. They leave together like a family, unconventional or not, Christmas is really for everyone.

 


End file.
